Matthew Lillard’s Hollywood comeback keeps getting bigger, and now it officially includes the DC Universe. After recent returns to major franchises like ‘Scream’, ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’, and the MCU, the fan-favorite actor has landed a mystery role in James Gunn’s upcoming DCU film ‘Man of Tomorrow.’
The casting news first surfaced through Deadline before James Gunn quickly acknowledged it himself on social media. Gunn posted a photo alongside Lillard with the joking caption: “Just casually hanging out with my longtime friend @matthewlillard for no reason.” While Gunn avoided revealing any details about the role itself, the confirmation immediately sparked major speculation across the DC fandom.
The Beginning of a Much-Wanted Collaboration
Not many know that Lillard had actually worked with Gunn long ago. Before taking control of DC Studios, Gunn penned two successful live-action ‘Scooby-Doo’ movies that gave birth to a beloved incarnation of Shaggy voiced by Lillard himself. Around that time, Gunn was said to pitch a Plastic Man movie to Warner Bros., where the character would be played by none other than Lillard.
As luck would have it, that idea was scrapped, but since then, Lillard has repeatedly expressed his desire to star in another of Gunn’s projects. With fan-made castings and endless debates over his possible involvement in Gunn’s DCU, their cooperation appears to have finally become a reality.
Because the studio has not revealed who Lillard is playing, speculation exploded almost instantly. One of the biggest theories points back to Plastic Man himself. Patrick “Eel” O’Brien’s exaggerated humor, elastic physicality, and chaotic personality fit naturally with Lillard’s energy as a performer.
Other fans believe he could play a comic-accurate version of Toyman, one of Superman’s stranger villains. Some theories lean toward a more grounded role like S.T.A.R. Labs scientist Emil Hamilton, while others suspect motion capture or voice work tied to the film’s larger alien storyline.
The sequel continues expanding Gunn’s “Gods and Monsters” chapter of the DCU following the success of 2025’s ‘Superman.’ James Gunn returns as both writer and director, with David Corenswet reprising his role as Clark Kent alongside Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor.
According to current reports, the plot requires Superman and Lex to temporarily put aside their differences in order to face a common adversary—Brainiac, portrayed by German actor Lars Eidinger. In addition to Adria Arjona as Maxima, some superheroes from the first film will also be featured in ‘Man of Tomorrow.’
For Lillard, the role continues one of Hollywood’s most unexpected career resurgences. After years of hiatus from big-budget productions, he finds himself joining some of the biggest franchises in cinema, and this time, he gets to participate in creating a superhero universe with one of his longtime friends.
‘Man of Tomorrow’ is currently scheduled to release on July 9, 2027.
